A man has been charged with attempted murder, for the first time since the enactment of the Maldives Penal Code.

The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) revealed this on Saturday, adding that the man was charged under the homicide and criminal attempt sections, Sections 110 and 80 of the Penal Code, for attempted murder.

Three additional charges were pressed on the man, who was arrested from Alifushi island in Raa atoll for pouring chemicals into his former spouse’s mouth after threatening and assaulting her on July 1.

Charges against Ali Ameen have been forwarded to the Alifushi Magistrate Court.

The office asserted that they will be using “full force of law” against domestic abuse amounting to criminal offenses.

Section 80 defines criminal attempt as a person attempting to commit an offense in acting with the culpability required for commission of the offense and deliberately “engages in conduct that would constitute a substantial step towards commission of the offense if the circumstances were as he believes them to be” whereas Section 110 states that a person commits an offense if he knowingly causes the death of another person.

Should Ameen be found guilty of the charges against him, he stands to face a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

Further an additional charge comes under Section 120 of the Penal Code, which reveals that a person commits an offense if he, causes injurious assault which is a Class 2 misdemeanor if the person causes bodily injury.

If proven guilty, Ameen stands a jail term of one year, seven months and six days.

He is also charged with entering an unauthorized location, deliberately and stands to face a jail term of um to four months and 24 days if proven guilty.

According to the Maldives Police Service, the victim in the case was rushed for treatment at the island’s health center.